


Closing the Distance

by sylversmyth



Series: Distance [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling, F/M, Fluff, Sleepy Kisses, Snuggling, omgwhat it’s not porn this time?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 11:42:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18603835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylversmyth/pseuds/sylversmyth
Summary: A follow up to Distance, because clearly if Scanlan is getting home on the weekend, there has to be at least SOME account of the reunion!





	Closing the Distance

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Sun Always Rises](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10013741) by [tameila](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tameila/pseuds/tameila). 



> Comments and kudos make the fic machine go!

When Scanlan finally got home, Pike was curled up on the couch, flopped over and dozing in the sleep of one who truly didn’t intend for this sort of thing to happen. Despite her efforts – the chatter of the television, the glass of cold water on the coffee table – Pike had felt her eyelids drooping, sight and sound growing soft and out of focus as she drifted off. In the background, a baking show had entered a final round of cake decoration, and the changing light from the screen had played across her face as she snuggled deeper into the the cushions.

She was pulled from her sleep some time later by the jangling of keys outside the door, and the click of the bolt turning. Rousing, she sat herself up. Despite her lingering sleepiness, excitement boiled back up to the surface as she remembered what she had been waiting for when she had drifted off. Scanlan was home! Through her haze of lingering sleepiness, she felt giddy. The door swung open, revealing Scanlan, his oversized suitcase in tow. Standing it up against the wall, he shut the door again and turned to face Pike. A smile spread across her face just at the sight of him. Leaning over the back of the sofa so she could face the door better, she grinned wider, calling out, “Hey,” in a voice still croaky with sleep. Perfect, she thought to herself, definitely the top of the list of things to say to the love of your life when he gets home after a month of non-stop travel. Fortunately, her mood was too delighted for the embarrassment to catch up at all. Draping herself bonelessly against the sofa back, she studied his face, tired but wearing a smile to match her own. 

“Pike”

With that, he strode across the room, dropping to his knees in front of where she sat on the couch and wrapped her tightly in his arms. Tucking his face into her neck, he let out a contented sigh. His breath huffed warm against her skin and he shifted a little, tugging her forward on the couch until he was nice and snug between her knees, pressed up against her, just being in her space and sharing her heat. Pike held him fast, heart in her throat, every nerve singing where they touched. This was everything she had wanted for so long. She raised a hand and wound it into the soft hair at the nape of his neck like she knew he loved, clasping him to her. Even kneeling, he was curled inward a little to make himself shorter than her, to feel held rather than to hold, and there was nothing she would rather do than oblige him for the moment. Tilting her head, she pressed first her lips and then her cheek to the mess of soft brown hair and they stayed there, minutes passing unnoticed.

“Hey,” Pike said once more, gently, finally pulling away, “I’m really glad you’re back.” With the hand not woven into his hair, she cupped his jaw, her thumb smoothing along his cheek. He reached up to cover her hand with his own, and leaned into the touch. His eyes still had dark rings under them, but they were happier now, practically brimming with affection. It amazed her to look at him, at the genuine joy that filled his face more often now than any other time in their lives, and to know she was the source.

He let out a quiet chuckle. “Me too. You can’t even know how glad I am. Gods, I missed being around you.” He leaned forward and kissed her gently, nothing deep or demanding, just a slow slide of lips against lips, unbelievably tender. He kissed her like she was precious, like she was his lifeline, and she kissed him back as softly as she could bear, hoping to reflect even some fraction of the sentiment back to this man who loved her as readily as he breathed. Breaking away, he leaned back to rest his forehead on hers, nose to nose, sharing air. 

Pike hummed, a smile dancing in her eyes before she flopped back onto the couch, beckoning with outstretched hands for Scanlan to join her. “You interrupted my nap when you came in, the least you can do is help me get comfy again now that I’m awake.”

Scanlan hauled himself up to perch on the edge of the sofa. “I can see that,” he chuckled, running gentle fingers over a sleep-warm face that almost certainly carried the pattern of the couch’s fabric and stitching. “I hardly think you can call it a nap after 10pm. But, I suppose —”

He was cut off as Pike reached up to catch him by the neck and pull him down to meet her, shushing him with another quick kiss. “Humor me then,” she said, and kissed him again. Scanlan melted into her, pressing her into the couch with his body and his soft, searching kisses. There was no hurry, these were kisses that had all the time in the world; they’d been apart too long and were too tired to want to rush a reunion. Pulling away with one last press of lips to the corner of her mouth, Scanlan wriggled himself down into the narrow space between Pike and the back of the sofa, throwing an arm over her waist to snuggle closer. Pike rolled over, turning to face him, threading her legs through his to fit both of them onto the scant space the sofa provided. Scanlan’s eyes were on hers once more and a wave of emotion rolled over her, so strong she felt she might choke on it.

“Hey, Scanlan?” she whispered, her voice feeling too thick to raise any louder. He hummed in response. “I love you.”

His cheeks flushed and he grinned widely. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing you say that. I love you too, baby.”

Smiling, Pike scooted down a few inches until she could tuck her head under Scanlan’s chin, her cheek pressing into his chest as the smell of him washed over her. She could faintly hear his heartbeat like this, calm and steady. Quietly, he began to hum, the echo of it filling his chest, surrounding her. For a moment, she felt like she could just melt straight into him, exist solely in the circle of his arms, the warmth of his body, the sound of his voice. The drowsiness that had overtaken her before began to creep back in, and even Scanlan’s humming faded into slow, deep breathing. Rousing herself one last time, Pike tilted her head up to press one kiss then another to Scanlan’s throat. A satisfied hum rumbled through him before he tilted his face to meet hers.

“Let’s go to bed, love,” and she dropped one more kiss onto his smiling lips.


End file.
